Vehicle Mechanical Knowledge and Maintenance: Know Your Machine
A safe driver understands what the vehicle is telling them. Learn the daily and weekly checks: tyres (pressure and tread depth - at least 1.6 mm), engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, windscreen washer, lights, and battery terminals. Tyre pressure should be checked cold; under-inflation increases fuel use and stopping distance and can cause blowouts.
Key systems: the braking system (hydraulic, with ABS preventing wheel lock), the cooling system (radiator, thermostat, coolant), the lubrication system (oil pump, filter), and the electrical system (battery, alternator, fuses). Warning lights matter: red means stop now (oil pressure, coolant temperature, brake failure); amber means check soon (engine management, ABS); green/blue means a system is active.
Traps: questions that ask what a red oil-can light means (stop the engine immediately - low oil pressure); questions about tread depth (1.6 mm legal minimum); and questions about overheating (turn off the engine, let it cool, never open the radiator cap while hot).
Rule of thumb: red means stop, amber means check, green means go. If a red warning light appears while driving, pull over safely and investigate before continuing.